Sanitary attachment for telephone transmitters and the like



Nov. 13 1923. 1,474,186

SANITARY ATTACHMEMT FOR TELEPHONE TRANSMI TTERS AND THE LIKE C. P ABBOTT F 'iled June 19. 1922 .13? M67253 Uizardf d 20% ,ZVQL M C. W a

Patented Nov. 13, 1923.

urao res:

CHARLES P. ABBOTT, 0F ALLSTON, IEASSA CHUSETTS.

isms ms SANITARY ATTACHMENT FOR TELEPHONE TRANSMITTERS AND THE LIKE. I I

Application filed June 19, 1922. Serial No. 569,231.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES P. Aenorr, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Allston (Boston), county of Suffolk, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Sanitary Attachments for Telephone Transmitters and the like, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the draw ings representing like parts in, each of the several views.

This invention relates to devices for the distribution and dissemination of germicidal, disinfectant and deodorant substances, so as to protect and preserve in a sanitary and safe condition articles of personal use, such as telephone transmitters and the like, though it is to be understood that in the subsequent description and claims the reference to a telephone transmitter as the application of the invention is in a broader aspect illustrative and intended to typify any article or appliance to which the device as 'described and claimed is adapted to be applied. The principal object of the invention is to provide means employing a reservoir or container of germicidal, disinfectant liquid with a wick or like elementutilizing capillary attraction to draw the liquid from such' reservoir and disseminate it over all portions of the area requiring to be kept in a sanitary and cleanly condition. The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the distinctive features of novelty will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

'Fig. l is a front view of bodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 33 of Figure 1; and a Fig. 4 is a vertical section ,on line 4-4 of Figure 1, a portion of the telephone transmitter being shown in elevation with the device applied thereto.

10 indicates a telephone transmitter which may be of any usual or suitable type and equipped with a flaring mouthpiece 11 as usual. The device of my invention may be applied to the standard mouthpiece already on the transmitter, but I preferably provide a substitute mouthpiece of the same general a device emshape having the device of my invention affixed thereto, so that all that is'necessary to apply the lnventionlto a telephone instrument is to unscrew the mouthpiece already on the transmitter and replace it with the mouthpiece having the disinfectant device afiixed thereto. In carrying out my invention I provide a reservoir or container 12 for liquid germicide and disinfectant which may be produced of sheet metal-of any suitable section, though shown as rectangular. This container has its front wall extended upward and enlarged as indicated at 13 in a circular outline and with a circular opening through the central portion thereof as indicated at 13*, this opening being-of a dimension substantially corresponding' to that of the outer end of the mouthpiece 11'. This upward extension of the reservoir is also preferably provided with a lateral shroud or flange 13 adapted to extend back over the extremity of the mouthpiece and covering the clamping elements to be described. The top of the container 12 is cut away a small distance back from the front 18 as indicated at 12 and permitting a wick 14 which extends downward to the bottom of the reservoir 12 to reach upward with its upper portion lying directly back 8 of the front plate extension 13. A foraminous plate which may consist of a fine wire screen 15 isfitted in place between the upper wick portion 14 and the plate 13, this screenthus extending across the opening 13. A clamping ring 16 is provided with a beveled inner portion fitting the outer extremity of the mouthpiece and with a radially extending outer portion tapped at intervals to receive clamping screws ,17 which are passed 96 through holes provided therefor in the front plate 13. The reservior 12 may have a suit able filling'o'pening 18 its top normally I closed by a screwplug 19. In use the reser-' voir '12 is filled'with any suitable germicidal 100 and disinfectant liquid that is also preferably selected of a pleasant odor.. This liquid is gradually taken up into the wick by capillary attraction. and disseminated slowly in a vapor which keeps the interior of the mouthpiece and all associated portions of the transmitter in 'a sanitary and, cleanly condition. The extent and rapidity with which the disinfectant liquid is taken up may be largely regulated and controlled by tightening the screws 17 to a greater or less extent, these screws when tightly set up effecting a squeezing pressure upbn the wick when the screws are less tightly secured the liquid is drawn up to be vaporized in correspondingly larger amount. I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit -or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having described my invention, What I claim asnewand desire to'secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a telephone transmitter mouthpiece, of a sterilizing device equipped with a clamping ring portion adapted tobe secured to the front of the mouthpiece with a reservoir for disinfectant borne in depending relation by said ring portion and extending backward under the mouthpiece, anda wickextending from said reservoir upward across the front of the mouthpiece and held in place by said clamping ring portion;

2. A sterilizing attachment adapted to be secured to a telephone mouthpiece or the like, comprising'a front plate portion formed to fit the front of the mouthpiece with means for clamping the same thereto, and with a'downward projection bearing a reservoir for disinfectant extending backward under the mouthpiece, and means for taking up disinfectant by capillary attraction from said reservoir and disseminating the same across the front of the'telephone mouthpiece.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CHAS. P. ABBOTT. 

